TITLE:FAYETTEVILLE
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"Are you serious? He really did that?"
Kathrine asked Zach. She was putting her
blonde hair into a messy bun like she was
ready to fight. She wasn't going to, but it
made her feel more prepared. Any time
Derrick is brought up she gets heated.
Sometimes her fists even ball up.
"Yes, I'm for real. Kat, he scared me. He
really did," Zach was being honest with her.
He didn't care if he looked like a wimp. It
was an actual confrontation, and he didn't
really know what to do.
"What do we do?" she asked.
"Police. We call the police and let them know
how aggressive he is. Listen to this... you
move here from Florida. Derrick cheats on
Natalie with you. Genni gets too close and his
anger gets the best of him. He kills Genni
and hides her body... Kat, he was probably
stalking you that night." Kathrine looked to
the floor. "And then, he thinks everything is
fixed and he could leave you alone. But
Evelyn invites you over that night and
everything explodes. His plan went up in
flames and now he is pissed and trying to
find a way out. He is a loose cannon. I'm
ready to tell the cops." Zach leaned against
the granite counter in Kathrine's new kitchen.
"I don't know, Zach. I get it, but it doesn't all
add up. It's a little too drastic." Kathrine was
trying to tone down Zach's excitement. She
was getting really good at hiding her mess of
emotions. Practice makes perfect, right? But
on the inside, she wasn't okay. Like a rat
hiding in a dark corner, she tried to push
back everything... but when the flashbacks
hit, she can't.
"What do you mean?"
"Derrick confronting you... it's just drama. He
didn't hurt you or anything. There isn't really
evidence of him threatening you. Trust me,
I've seen my fair share of trouble back in
Florida..."
Zach rolled his eyes and starting rubbing his
beard. "We have to do something ."
"Where is he?"
"Probably at Natalie's... or home."
"Let's go riding. We're going to find his car
and search it."
"What? Are you kidding me?!" Zach said, but
he grabbed his keys. Yes, he was scared, and
his heart rate was starting to pick up... but it
was time to do something about Derrick.
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Nothing was distracting him from looking for
that car. Kathrine was perched up on the
leather seat looking out the open window.
The wind was knocking her hair back as they
rolled through the backroads looking for
Derrick's house.
But then, his eyes couldn't stay on the road...
there she was. He looked a little longer. Then
a little longer. He would keep staring, but
Derrick's house was up ahead.
"There it is," she said.
"It's probably locked." Zach turned off his
car.
Kathrine slowly pushed the door open and
stepped out onto the pothole-scattered
backroad. The night was a dark one. The
moon was full and the stars were scattered.
There wasn't any clouds or noises to take
away from the beauty in the nature above
them... but they didn't notice. They leaned
down and made their way to Derrick's car.
Then it hit: panic. The idea that whoever did
that to Genni could do it again.
Her eyes starting looking at Zach instead of
Derrick's car. She slowed down, and so did
he, which for some reason made her panic
more. She shot up to her feet, making sure
she could run if she had to.
"No," she said as she stepped away from
Zach. "Don't do this." That's all her fear
would let her whisper.
